Carow Hall, Conf. Room
April 29, 2007, 08:00 PM to 07:00 PM
While economics has long recognized the importance of the institutional settings in which decisions are made, it has neglected to give much time to the most pervasive institution of all: religion. However, religion continues to strongly influence the decisions of individuals, governments and religious 'firms' in every corner of our planet. This dissertation begins with a survey of the current literature, using Iannaccone's 1998 paper as a base from which to begin. After a brief introduction to the scientific study of religion, I focus on current contributions to this dynamic subfield. I also explore those fertile opportunities and methodologies which await the economist interested in furthering our understanding of the permeating affects of religion. The second and third chapters take initial steps into two areas which prior efforts have overlooked. Chapter two examines the connection between political capitals and spiritual capitals. Places which acquire spiritual significance, becoming sacred capitals, have tremendous influence on the secular institutions by whose side they operate. I examine the factors by which otherwise perfectly ordinary places are elevated to the sacred, and how such places help to shape secular choices. In particular, this paper explores the circumstances surrounding the rise and fall of the Delphic Oracle through analysis of recorded oracular responses. Chapter three examines the unique role religion plays in the facilitation of exchange. Some prior attention has been paid to the way in which religions serve as a proxy for reputation or a mechanism for enforcement of exchange agreements. These reputation and enforcement mechanisms enhance the ability of the members of certain religious groups to perform economic roles where such secular based mechanisms are absent or fail. I explore the ways in which hostility towards members of high tension religions makes them uniquely well suited to the economic role of middleman. As illustration, I explore the particular case of the 19th century Jewish peddler in the young United States.